Miniature Kick Bag Game and Apparatus Kit

ABSTRACT

A miniature kick bag game and apparatus kit for playing a footbag game between opposing teams divided into two zones by a medially positioned two foot high portable reticulated net, or nets, is provided. The reticulated net, or nets, are substantially two vertical feet in height.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application is related to, claims the earliest availableeffective filing date(s) from (e.g., claims earliest available prioritydates for other than provisional patent applications; claims benefitsunder 35 USC §119(e) for provisional patent applications), andincorporates by reference in its entirety all subject matter of thefollowing listed application(s) (the “Related Applications”) to theextent such subject matter is not inconsistent herewith; the presentapplication also claims the earliest available effective filing date(s)from, and also incorporates by reference in its entirety all subjectmatter of any and all parent, grandparent, great-grandparent, etc.applications of the Related Application(s) to the extent such subjectmatter is not inconsistent herewith.

-   -   1. U.S. provisional patent application 61/180,867, entitled        “MINIATURE KICK BAG GAME AND APPARATUS KIT”, naming Kerry J.        Semple and Christopher M. Poirier as inventors, filed 24 May        2009.

BACKGROUND

1. Field of Use

The present invention relates to Game Devices and more particularlypertains to a new Kick Bag Game and Apparatus Kit for playing a foot baggame between opposing teams divided into two zones by a mesiallypositioned portable reticulated net, wherein the players must kick thefoot bag back and forth over the net to score points.

2. Description of Prior Art (Background)

The use of kick bag game devices is known in the prior art. Morespecifically, game devices heretofore devised and utilized are known toconsist basically of familiar, expected and obvious structuralconfigurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by thecrowded prior art which have been developed for the fulfillment ofcountless objectives and requirements.

Known prior art Game Devices include U.S. Pat. No. 5,346,228; U.S. Pat.No. 5,290,043; U.S. Pat. No. 4,284,277; U.S. Pat. No. 5,014,990; U.S.Pat. No. 4,616,834; U.S. Pat. No. Des. 313,639; and U.S. Pat. No.5,692,980.

While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives andrequirements, the aforementioned patents do not disclose a new miniaturekick gag game and apparatus kit designed for young children and olderadults. For example, an objective of U.S. Pat. No. 5,692,980 to Trotmanis to provide a game that incorporates soccer, volley ball, and tennis.It will be appreciated that volley ball net heights are over seven feet.Even tennis nets are upwards of four feet. These net-heights make italmost impossible for young children and older adults to participate inTrotman's game.

In addition the prior art does not disclose a straightforward method forsupporting the net and marking the court boundary. For example, U.S.Pat. No. 5,692,980 to Trotman discloses cumbersome net support poleswith bases that need to be inflated. It will be appreciated thatinflatable bases are very susceptible to leakage and damage.Alternatives in the prior art do not easily accommodate portableboundary markers such as line or rope. Nor does the prior art discloseor suggest a game kit with built in markers for marking the courtboundaries.

BRIEF SUMMARY

The foregoing and other problems are overcome, and other advantages arerealized, in accordance with the presently preferred embodiments ofthese teachings.

As will be described below, the inventive device includes a built incourt boundary marker for marking the court, a portable reticulated net,two feet in height and positioned across the center of the courtsupported vertically at the ends by a first and second support poles,and supported in the center by a third support pole.

In these respects, and others described herein, the Miniature Kick BagGame and Apparatus Kit according to the present invention substantiallydeparts from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, andin so doing provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose ofplaying a foot bag game between opposing teams divided into two zones bya mesially positioned, portable reticulated net two feet in height,wherein the players must kick the foot bag back and forth over the netto score points.

In accordance with one embodiment of the invention a miniature kick baggame and apparatus kit is provided. The miniature kick bag game andapparatus kit includes at least one portable reticulated net formed inan elongated rectangular shape positioned at the elongated centeraligned vertically thereby dividing the playing court into two teamzones. Also included is at least one net support; a first supportstructure for engaging one end of the at least one net support; a secondsupport structure for engaging another end of the at least one netsupport; and a third support structure for supporting the center of thereticulated net, wherein the first support structure, the second supportstructure and the third support structure are substantially two feet inheight when positioned vertically.

The invention is also directed towards miniature kick bag game andapparatus kit having portable reticulated net formed in an elongatedrectangular shape positioned at the elongated center aligned verticallythereby dividing a playing court into two team zones. A net support forsupporting the portable reticulated net wherein includes a fixed lengthnet support for measuring the side length and width of one side of theplaying court The invention also includes a support structure forengaging one end of the at least one net support and includes a lineardirectional support device for ensuring one side of the playing courtboundary is perpendicular to the portable reticulated net. A secondlinear directional support device ensures a second side of the playingcourt boundary indicator is perpendicular to the portable reticulatednet and parallel to the first side of the playing court boundaryindicator. The invention also provides a third support structure forsupporting the center of the net support. The first support structure,the second support structure and the third support structure aresubstantially two feet in height when positioned vertically.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The subject matter which is regarded as the invention is particularlypointed out and distinctly claimed in the claims at the conclusion ofthe specification. The foregoing and other objects, features, andadvantages of the invention are apparent from the following detaileddescription taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings inwhich:

FIG. 1 is an upper perspective view of a new Miniature Kick Bag Game andApparatus Kit according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of one of the portable reticulated netssupported by the first support structure in accordance with theinvention shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the portable reticulated nets supportedby the third support structure in accordance with the invention shown inFIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a staked line boundary marker inaccordance with the invention shown in FIG. 1; and

FIG. 5 is upper perspective view of a new Miniature Kick Bag Game andApparatus Kit displaying the built in boundary measuring feature of theinvention in accordance with the invention shown in FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to FIGS. 1 through5 thereof, a new Miniature Kick Bag Game and Apparatus Kit embodying theprinciples and concepts of the present invention and generallydesignated by the reference numeral 100 will be described.

More specifically, it will be noted that the Miniature Kick Bag Game andApparatus Kit 100 comprises a court boundary marker 10 displaying arectangular playing court, portable reticulated nets 16 and 18 formed inan elongated rectangular shape positioned at the center of therectangular court and aligned vertically thereby dividing the playingcourt into two team zones, and a foot bag 12 which is kicked by a player14 with his side of foot 14 over the portable reticulated nets 16 and18.

As best illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 4, it can be shown that a firstsupport pole 26 engages one end of one of the portable reticulated netsupports 20 via an elbow 22. The opposing end of the first support pole26 engages a T-support 24. T-support 24 is adapted to provide lineardirectional support and guidance to boundary marker 10. Also shown inFIG. 2, is portable reticulated net 16 suitable attached to net support20. It will be appreciated that portable reticulated net 16 may be anysuitable material suitable for advertisement marking as shown in FIG. 1.

Also shown in FIG. 1, is second support pole 26A engaging one end of oneof the portable reticulated net supports 30 via an elbow 22A. Theopposing end of the first support pole 26A engages a second T-support24A. Second T-support 24A is adapted to provide linear directionalsupport and guidance to boundary marker 10. Also shown in FIG. 1, isportable reticulated net 18 suitable attached to net support 30. It willbe appreciated that portable reticulated net 18 may be any suitablenetting material.

It will be understood that in alternate embodiments net 16, or net 18,may be of sufficient length to reach from the first support pole 26 tothe second support pole 26A.

Referring also to FIG. 3 there is shown is a perspective view of theportable reticulated nets supported by the third support structure. Thethird support pole 34 engages one end of net support 30 via thirdT-support 32. The other third T-support 32 connects net support 20 tothe third support pole 34. The third support pole is also connected to afourth T-support 36 to provide lateral stability.

It will be understood and appreciated that the assembled height of netsupport 20 and net support 30 when assembled with the first support pole26, the second support pole 26A and the third support pole 34 isapproximately 2 feet high.

Referring also to FIG. 4 there is shown a perspective view of a stakedline boundary marker in accordance with the invention shown in FIG. 1.Boundary marker 10 may be any suitable marker such as rope or line.Boundary marker 10 may be a predetermined length to form a desiredperimeter or measured according to the inventive features describedherein. FIG. 4 also shows stakes 10A for staking boundary marker 10 andthereby defining a corner of the playing area. Stakes 10A may be anysuitable stake such as, but not limited to, plastic camping type stakes.

Referring also to FIG. 5, there is shown an upper perspective view ofthe new Miniature Kick Bag Game and Apparatus Kit displaying the builtin boundary measuring feature of the invention. Net support 20 and netsupport 30 are predetermined lengths and correspond to the desireddimensions of the court boundaries as shown in FIG. 5. It will beappreciated that this feature is useful when marking the boundaries on ahard surface that does not permit the boundary marker 10 to be stakedwith stakes 10A. It will be understood that any suitable combination ofnet support 20 and net support 30 may be used to measure and mark thedesired dimensions of the court boundaries. For example the combinedlength of net support 20 and net support 30 could be, in one embodiment,ten feet. The corresponding court size measured by the combined lengthsis on one side of the net a ten by ten foot area. The other side of thenet is also a ten by ten foot area.

Basic Rules of the Game—To start the game you must volley for serve. Itdoes not matter who starts the volley, which can be decided by a cointoss or the winner of the last game. During the volley the hackey sackmust be kicked over the net three consecutive times. After the thirdconsecutive times the first team who lets the hackey sack touch theground loses the volley and looses the first serve, at the volleywinner's discretion.

The hackey sack is served, i.e., kicked over the net support 20 or netsupport 30 from outside boundary marker 10. If the hackey sack is kickedout of bounds the serving side loses the serve to the opposing team orplayer. If the hackey sack is kicked within bounds the opposing team orplayer may return the serve, without letting the hackey sack touch theground, with any part of the body except for using their hands. Eachside has up to three hits or kicks to return the hackey sack. In thecase of team play, one person may use all three kicks or hits, or thehits or kicks, up to three, may be allocated amongst the team.

Points are awarded to the serving player or team when the opposing teamlets the hackey sack touch the ground or fails to return the hackey sackwithin three kicks or hits, or kicks the hackey sack out-of-bounds. Agame is won when a team reaches a score of twenty-one points first andis also at least two points over the opposing player or team score; or,alternatively if a player or team reaches fifteen points before theopposing team or player scores any point.

It will be appreciated that the game rules described herein may besuitably modified according to players abilities or preferences.

It should be understood that the foregoing description is onlyillustrative of the invention. Thus, various alternatives andmodifications can be devised by those skilled in the art withoutdeparting from the invention. Accordingly, the present invention isintended to embrace all such alternatives, modifications and variancesthat fall within the scope of the appended claims.

1. A miniature kick bag game and apparatus kit comprising: at least oneportable reticulated net formed in an elongated rectangular shapepositioned at the elongated center aligned vertically thereby dividing aplaying court into two team zones; at least one net support forsupporting the at least one portable reticulated net; a first supportstructure for engaging one end of the at least one net support; a secondsupport structure for engaging another end of the at least one netsupport; and a third support structure for supporting the center of theat least one net support, wherein the first support structure, thesecond support structure and the third support structure aresubstantially two feet in height when positioned vertically.
 2. Theminiature kick bag game and apparatus kit as in claim 1, wherein the atleast one net support comprises: a first net support; a second netsupport; and a T-supporting coupler for joining the first net supportand the second net support.
 3. The miniature kick bag game and apparatuskit as in claim 1 further comprising at least one playing court boundaryindicator.
 4. The miniature kick bag game and apparatus kit as in claim3 wherein the at least one playing court boundary indicator comprises:at least one length of line; and a plurality of pegs for holding the atleast one length of line in a desired playing court shape.
 5. Theminiature kick bag game and apparatus kit as in claim 3 wherein the atleast one playing court boundary indicator comprises a marker suitablefor marking a desired playing court shape
 6. The miniature kick bag gameand apparatus kit as in claim 3 wherein the first support structurefurther comprises a first linear directional support device for ensuringa first side of the at least one playing court boundary indicator isperpendicular to the at least one portable reticulated net.
 7. Theminiature kick bag game and apparatus kit as in claim 6 wherein thesecond support structure further comprises a second linear directionalsupport device for ensuring a second side of the at least one playingcourt boundary indicator is perpendicular to the at least one portablereticulated net and parallel to the first side of the at least oneplaying court boundary indicator.
 8. The miniature kick bag game andapparatus kit as in claim 1 wherein the at least one net support furthercomprises a fixed length net support for measuring the side length andwidth of one side of the playing court.
 9. The miniature kick bag gameand apparatus kit as in claim 8 wherein the third support structure andthe fixed length net support further comprises a right angle playingcourt measuring device for measuring playing court corners a fixeddistance and at right angles to the side length of the playing court.10. A miniature kick bag game and apparatus kit comprising: at least oneportable reticulated net formed in an elongated rectangular shapepositioned at the elongated center aligned vertically thereby dividing aplaying court into two team zones; at least one net support forsupporting the at least one portable reticulated net wherein the atleast one net support further comprises a fixed length net support formeasuring the side length and width of one side of the playing court; afirst support structure for engaging one end of the at least one netsupport, wherein the first support structure further comprises a firstlinear directional support device for ensuring a first side of the atleast one playing court boundary indicator is perpendicular to the atleast one portable reticulated net; a second support structure forengaging another end of the at least one net support wherein the secondsupport structure further comprises a second linear directional supportdevice for ensuring a second side of the at least one playing courtboundary indicator is perpendicular to the at least one portablereticulated net and parallel to the first side of the at least oneplaying court boundary indicator; and a third support structure forsupporting the center of the at least one net support, wherein the firstsupport structure, the second support structure and the third supportstructure are substantially two feet in height when positionedvertically.